Extensible structure for use as a bridge



(No Model.)

' 3 Sheets sh eet 1.

J. O. OAKLEY. EXTENSIBLE STRUCTURE FOR USE AS A BRIDGE, SGAFFOLD, TOWER,&c. .No. 530,120.

Patented Dec. 4, 1894 v amoemto'a Z Qttomm 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

. J. O. OAKLEY.

EXTENSIBLE STRUCTURE FOR USE AS A BRIDGE, SGAFFOLD,

TOWER, &c.'

No. 530,120. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

'a wuawto z W 0 (fim abtozm I IAJQ' (No Model.)

J. O. OAKLEY.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

- EXTENSIB L E STRUCTURE FOR USE AS ABRIDGB, SGAFFOLD,

TOWER, 8:0. v

Patented c. 4, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT Urn-101:.

JAMES OMAR OAKLEY, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

EXTENSIBLE STRUCTURE FOR USE AS A BRIDGE, SCAFFOLD, TOWER, 8L0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,120, dated December4,1 894. Application filed September 26, 1893. Serial No. 486568.(Model) of the same.

This invention relates to portable structures of the extensiblelazy-tong construction and has for its object to furnish a device orstructure equally applicable as a bridge, scaffold, tower, ladder oreven fire escape by the simple transposition or different location ofits parts.

Heretofore structures to be used asfire es- I capes have beenconstructed in which there has been combined with lazy-tong side framespivoted sliding platforms capable of horizontal movement and dispositionat right angles or transversely to the length of the vertical structureand of a limited rotatory movement to an oblique angle, but in no casehas it been attempted to adapt such a structure for use in any otherthan a vertical position, nor to arrange such platforms so that they canbe changed in position to allow of the structure being used as a bridgeor ladder and to efiect this is the object of my invention.

The invention consists'in the several arrangements, devices andcombinations of parts hereinafter particularly described and pointed outin the claims.

For full comprehension however of the invention, reference must be'hadto the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichlike symbols indicate corresponding 'parts and wherein-" Figure 1 is aside elevation of the structure elevated for use as a scaffold; Fig. 2,a side elevation partly broken away of the structure in use as a ladder,while Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of thestructure in use as a bridge, and Fig. 5 a side elevation of thestructure in its collapsed condition. v

a a and b b are respectively the longitudinals and cross bars of framesforming when the structure is in scafiold form suitable base and headpieces therefor, the longitudinals each carrying on their surfacesrunways with central rail 0 and flanged side guards c c to receivegrooved rollers d d d d on the upper and lower ends respectively of onepair of the bottom and top bars of the side frames formed of a number oflazy-tong sections or bars 6 e pivotally connected at their contersindividually by studs 9 and at their ends by means of rods ff extendingbetween the two sides, the opposite pairs of the top and bottom barsbeing pivotally connected at c to the longitudinals a a of the head andbase pieces.

g g are Winding drums located between the longitudinals and cross barsof the base and head respectively and having their spindle bearings insuch sills near the ends to which the bars e e are pivotally connected.

9 g are crank handles for rotating said drums, j being the necessaryrope or other 'fiexible connection between the drum g and the cross rodsf whereby the lower ends of the free traveling bottom bars of thestructure may be drawn toward the pivoted ones and the apparatusextended. 7

k is are foot sections or platforms made in the form of framescontaining rows of cross bars or rungs about a couple of inches apart,and of such a length that with one end pivotally connected with thecross rods f the 0pposite free ends will when the lazy tong sections arecollapsed to their fullest extent come within the bars f so as to clearthe same and consequently be alterable from their position at rightangles to the length of the structure to a parallel position therewiththus allowing the use of the structure as a bridge orladder as shown inFigs. 2, 3, and 4.

On'the under sides of the foot sections kin are arranged ratchet toothedracks Z Z running lengthwise thereof and each having at their outer endaright angled tooth l ofgreater projection than theratchet teeth, whichlatterengaging the rods f act to hold the'structure rigid andpreventcollapsing when in scafiold form while not interfering with itselevation, and the teeth Z performing the same function when thestructure is being used as a bridge, their point of engagement beingbetween the rods f and the adjacent ends of the foot sections, as shownin Fig. 3 sufficient space being left for the purpose.

m is a rope preferably taken through an eye a on the ends of thelongitudinals a a opposite to those where the winding drums are locatedand being sufficiently long to extend the full length of the structure,and to this, what I may term main rope are connected branch ropes m m mtaken when the structure is used as a scaffold, through eyes or mcarried by the cross rods f to and connected with the foot sections 70for the purposes of freeing the cross rods f from the teeth on the footsections so that the bars may collapse, this being done ;by drawing uponthe ropes and elevating the foot sections 7.: as indicated by dottedlines in Figs. 1 and 3.

As a means of ascent for the structure in scaffold form I have shownduplicates e of the bars e up one side of the structure and connected byrungs 6 thus forming ladder sections between each foot section orplatform, but this I lay no claim to as I am aware that such anarrangement is not now.

To elevate the structure it is only necessary to rotate the drum g, thefoot sections being elevated sufficiently by pulling on the ropes m toallow the cross rods f to pass the tooth l after which they can beallowed to rest on the rods since the ratchet teeth will not interferewith the further movement of such rods.

To lower the structure the foot sections are elevated, any tendency to arapid collapse being readily checked by any suitable break mechanismsuch as flexible band 71 and lever 7L4 acting on the drum 9.

In using the structure as a bridge the rope connections are freedsufficiently to allow the foot sections to be turned in past the rodsfand to take positionslengthwise of the structure as shown in Fig. 3 anda spare piece of rope m is used to stay the structure by securing oneend to cross piece I) and the other to any convenient anchor, such as atree, or post in the vicinity or even a heavystake such as is driveninto the ground, and the structure turned on its side so that the endsof the base longitudinals carrying the winding drum g shall rest on theground and the longitudinals be held in perpendicular position by therope m This done it is only necessary to rotate the drum 9 in order toextend the structure across the gap to be bridged, the free opposite endor head piece reaching the other side and being supported there, each ofthe several foot sections sliding over the metal faced ends 0 of theother until the long tooth Z reaches such end when it drops into theopen space between the rods f and the ends of the sections 0 thus firmlybracing the structure. Extra guy ropes m for additional security whenthe structure is to be extended can be secured to either of the crossrods f and connected to any convenient point. If it is desired aftercrossing the bridge thus formed, to carry it bodily to the oppositepoint reached a similar piece of rope to m is provided and arranged inlike manner to stay thehead longitudinals, after which the guy rope endsfirst secured are undone. The party undoing them crosses the bridge,elevates the foot sections (first drawing the branch ropes m m outoftheir eyes mm shortening them and again connecting them as shown in Fig.3 to the foot section) and by drawing on the rope connections or makesthem fast at any convenient point about the longitudinals and thenproceeds to turn the drum g from which flexible connections t t extendto the head end bars 6 e of the structure at their central pivotalconnection whereby the whole structure is collapsed and thus transferredto the point desired.

In lowering the structure when in ladder form it is not necessary tohave the ropes connected to the platforms, as they (the platforms) willhave a tendency to slide outward the lowermost in the flanges c and theremainder on one another as shown in Fig. 2.

What I claim is as follows:

1. An extensible structure havinglazy-tong sides and two rows of crossrods with foot sections or platforms permanently connected at one endwith the rods of one row, detachably connected with the rods of theopposite row and changeable from a position transversely of saidstructure to a position lengthwise of same for the purpose set forth.

2. An extensible lazy-tong structure having lazy-tong sides and two rowsof cross rods with foot sections or platforms pivotally connected at oneend with the rods of one row, detachably connected with the rods of theopposite row and changeable from a position transversely of saidstructure to a position lengthwise of same for the purpose set forth.

3. An extensible structure havinglazy-tong sides, made up of sets orsections of pivoted bars and cross rods at the ends of each set of barswith independent foot sections or platforms permanently connected at oneend of a section with a cross rod thereof and arranged and movablelongitudinally of said structure to be connected with the cross rod atthe end of thenext section,with means for disconnecting such platformsfrom the last mentioned cross rod, for the purpose set forth.

4. An extensible lazy-tong structure having lazy-tong sides made up ofsets or sections of pivoted bars and cross rods at the ends of each setof bars with independent foot sections or platforms pivotally connectedat one end of a section with a cross rod thereof and arranged andmovable longitudinally of said structure to be connected with the crossrod at the end of the next section, with suitable flexible line andconnections for disconnecting the platforms from thelast mentioned crossrod, for the purpose set forth.

5. An extensible structure having side frames formed of lazy tongsections connected by two rows of cross rods as f f, and foot. sectionsor platforms pivotally connected at one end with the cross rods f andadapted, when the structure is extended in a vertical direction to restwith theiropposite ends upon the IIC rods f, and when the structure isextended in a horizontal direction, each to rest with its opposite endupon the supporting cross rod f of another section or upon such sectionas set forth. v

6. An extensible structure comprising side frames formed of lazy-tongsections connected by two rows of cross rods f f, rigid end pieces orframes, one bar of each side section at both ends of the structurehaving a stationary pivotal connection with the end pieces and the otherbar of such sectionshaving a traveling pivotal connection therewith;foot sections or platforms pivotally connected at one end with the crossrods f and adapted when the structure is extended in a verticaldirection, to rest with their opposite ends upon the rods f, and, whenthe structure is extended in a horizontal direction, each to rest withits opposite end upon the supporting cross rod fof another section orupon such section as set forth.

7. An extensible structure having side frames formed of lazy-tongsections connected by two rows of cross rods as ff, and foot sections orplatforms,withlocking teeth or proj ections on their under sides, andpivotally connected at one end with the cross rods f and adapted whenthe structure is extended in a vertical direction to rest with theiropposite ends upon the rods f, and when the structure is extended in ahorizontal direction, each to rest with its opposite-end .upon the,supporting cross rod f of another section and means for raising saidopposite ends of such sections out of contact with said rodsffor thepurposes set forth.

8. An extensible structure comprising side frames formed of lazy-tongsections connected by two rows of cross rods as f f rigid end pieces orframes, one bar of each side section at both ends of the structurehaving a stationary pivotal connection with the end pieces, and theother bar of such sections having a traveling pivotal connectiontherewith; means for moving the bars having the traveling connectionwith the end pieces toward the ends of the bars having the stationarypivotal connection therewith, and suitable brake mechanism to preventthe too rapid return of such bars to their normal position; footsections or platforms pivotally connected at one end with the cross rodsf and adapted when the structure is extended in a vertical direction torest with their opposite ends upon the rods f and when the structure isextended in a horizontal direction each to rest with its opposite endupon the supporting cross rod f of another section or upon such sectionas set forth.

9. An extensible structure comprising side frames formed of centrallypivoted lazy-tong sections connected by two rows of cross rods as f frigid end pieces or frames, one bar of each side section at both ends ofthe structure having a stationary pivotal connection with the endpieces, and the other bar of such sections having a traveling pivotalconnection therewith; means at opposite ends of the structure, forrespectively moving the bars having the traveling connections with theend pieces, toward and away from the ends of the bars having thestationary pivotal connnection therewith, and suitable brake mechanismto prevent the too rapid return of such bars to their normal position,foot sections or platforms with ratchet teethZ and projection Z on theirunder sides and pivotally connected at one end with the cross rods f andadapted when the structure is extended in a vertical direction to restwith their opposite ends upon the rods f and when the structure isextended in a horizontal direction each to rest with said projections Zbetween another rod f and the adjacent edge of the section pivoted tosame or upon such section; and suitable guy ropes and connections forraising said foot sections, all substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

Montreal, August- 26, 1893.

- JAMES OMAR OAKLEY. In presence of WI L P. MOFEAT, FRED. 'J. SEARS.

